MTLNOVEL Chapter 92: Strong Man
All eyes were on the girls' performances in the grand hall, where the atmosphere was lively; yet nothing indecent could be seen. After all, those who came here were either wealthy or distinguished, caring much about their reputations.
However, there was one burly man who seemed starkly out of place among the attendees.
He stared with wide eyes fixed on the performing girls, his gaze as if glued to their bodies, and a trace of drool seemed to leak from the corner of his mouth.
The madam of the brothel also noticed the robust man. She furrowed her brows, feeling as if a piece of mouse droppings had suddenly spoiled a fine soup, causing her considerable discomfort.
She called over her enforcers and whispered a few instructions to them. Several strong young men nodded slightly and shifted their gaze towards the burly man who was still intently watching the performance.
They moved towards him subtly and with negligible effort reached his side. Two youths grabbed his shoulders and smiled, "This Sir, our boss invites you to step aside." After speaking, they squeezed his shoulders firmly.
"I don't know your boss, I'm not going, I'm not going." Unexpectedly, the burly man did not care, waved his hands dismissively, and did not even turn his head.
This reaction from the burly man caused the enforcers' expressions to darken instantly. They had been managing this place for quite some time and had never encountered someone who disregarded them so blatantly.
"Brother, having more friends opens more paths, don't narrow your own," one enforcer softly said.
"Not interested, don't disturb my viewing," the burly man dismissed the enforcers' implied threat with rudeness in his tone.
The enforcers were momentarily stunned. They had never encountered such a person before; they were not fools. Indeed, everyone who mingled in such environments was shrewd, and they realized the man before them was either a fool or surely had some backing.
Slowly, they released their grip on his shoulders, deciding to retreat for the moment, as escalating the matter would only lead to their loss.
Just then, a troop of government officers burst in, dressed in black official uniforms with treasured swords at their waists, promptly sealing the brothel off completely.
The madam was slightly startled upon seeing these officers; they were not ordinary ones but Black Fiend Guards, dispatched by the City Lord to suppress demons.
She hurriedly approached with a smile on her face, "Esteemed officers, to what do I owe the honor of your visit to Drunken Spring Tower?"
The leader, a middle-aged man with frosty expression and a deep scar on his face, gave the madam a cold glance and chillingly said, "We've received reports of a demon lurking in your Drunken Spring Tower."
The madam momentarily failed to respond, simply uttering, "Demon?"
"You must be jesting. Where would there be a demon here? Moreover, weren't the demons of this place eradicated hundreds of years ago?" the madam said with a laugh, trying to defuse the situation; she truly did not believe they had come to capture a demon, as the so-called demons had long since become mere legends in this world.
"Whether or not that is the case, it's not for you to decide. Bring the person inside," the middle-aged man stated.
Shortly after, the officers brought a young man inside, who appeared frail and vacant-eyed.
"Do you see any Demons here as you claimed?"
The young man, with his eyes slightly glazed, scanned the crowd carefully. Upon seeing the burly man, he shouted in horror, "It's him, it's definitely him."
His cry instantly threw the scene into chaos, as everyone quickly distanced themselves from the burly man, while the government officers outside immediately surrounded him.
"That shouldn't be possible, how could you possibly recognize me?" the burly man asked, his face calm as a breeze, as he idly picked at his ear.
"What Demon? Bind your hands and surrender without delay." The middle-aged man had already drawn his precious sword, its blade gleaming with a dazzling cold light. He stared intently at the burly man, his tone heavy.
This was indeed the legendary Monster, and it was the first time he had seen one in his life; he did not dare to be careless in the slightest.
"Monster? Don't lump me with those lowly creatures," the burly man said softly. With a swift motion, he grabbed the young man who recognized him, while the government officers nearby couldn't react in time.
"Now can you tell me who sent you to report me?" the burly man asked coldly, holding the struggling young man in his hand.
However, the young man seemed as if he had lost his soul, merely repeating nonstop, "He's a Monster, he's a Monster."
At this moment, even the middle-aged man realized something was off with the young man, his face filled with surprise as he watched the young man muttering to himself, already guessing the reason in his mind.
"Turns out it's just a useless fellow struck by an Illusion Technique. The only ones in this world who know Old Pig here are a few petty thieves. Good then, I haven't even started looking for you, and you've already come to me," Zhu Ganglie said with a laugh, but his eyes no longer bore the prior calmness, instead brimming with killing intent.
Gently tossing the young man aside, Zhu Ganglie muttered, "What a buzzkill," and then strode towards the door.
His blatant disregard thoroughly enraged the middle-aged man, who had never encountered such arrogance. At this moment, engulfed with rage, he bellowed loudly, "Monster, where do you think you can flee to!"
Zhu Ganglie then turned his head and looked at the middle-aged man, saying, "You're no match for me, and I prefer not to slaughter wantonly. Step back now."
"Cease your arrogance, Monster! Men, form up," the middle-aged man commanded, and at his words, his officers instantly dispersed, forming a special formation around Drunken Spring Tower. The positioning of these men seemed to adhere to some pattern, emanating a curious power attempting to suppress Zhu Ganglie.
"Interesting, this setup seems eerily familiar. It somewhat resembles the Heavenly Court's Net of Heaven and Earth," Zhu Ganglie commented with interest, scrutinizing the formation while muttering to himself.
As the formation activated, white threads filled the void, entangling Zhu Ganglie layer by layer.
"To think you can trap Old Pig like this, you'd need the real Net of Heaven and Earth," Zhu Ganglie roared and with a slight struggle shattered the net entrapping him. At this moment, his momentum erupted, and the powerful Gang Wind he generated made everyone around stagger and stumble.
The middle-aged man had never witnessed such vigor and stood frozen in place, staring in fear at the burly man, saying, "Who exactly are you, to be so formidable?"
He found it hard to believe. The might of the Monster before him surpassed all his expectations, and only the legendary Banished Immortal who protected this place could possess such strength.